


SNAFU

by Kimikochan



Series: Second Chances [4]
Category: Veronica Mars (Movie 2014), Veronica Mars (TV), Veronica Mars - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-27
Updated: 2017-02-27
Packaged: 2018-09-27 07:51:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9983966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kimikochan/pseuds/Kimikochan
Summary: Conflicting signals, radio silence and trouble were par for the course with Veronica Mars.





	

Logan knew she was watching.

He could practically feel her brilliant blue eyes trained on his back, so he forced himself to stride casually across the street. A stealthy glance told him he’d been right.

As predicted, Veronica was observing from her office window lookout, her hand at her throat, probably fingering that old necklace she always wore.

He resisted waving and checked his side mirror before pulling into traffic and driving away.

_What the fuck had he been thinking?_

Logan couldn’t believe he’d taken advice on his lovelife from _Dick_.

The hit on his head must’ve been harder than he thought. Except ... he’d been off for months, ever since Veronica popped back into his life.

_We’re better off as friends._

He’d skipped his morning jog, and now he could really use a long, punishing run to reboot.

**********

Logan pulled up to the Neptune Grand and handed his keys to the valet. He pushed through the revolving door, walking across the marbled floor to the front desk. He gave the concierge his name, then sank into a brocade armchair to wait.

Petra Landros had called him the night before, requesting this little tete-a-tete. Warily, he’d agreed, but only because she’d mentioned his mom. Logan hadn’t seen Petra since Lynn’s memorial, and he was curious why the supermodel-turned-hotelier would want to meet with him.

As a teenager, he’d drooled over her lingerie spreads along with every other heteresexual boy in the western world. Hadn’t Lily caught him perusing one of her catalogs?

_“Shopping for moi, or spanking for vous?” Lily teased._

_Logan’s face burned, but he was quickly rescued by Veronica “Wrong form of you, Lily. Your parents are wasting their money on those expensive French lessons.”_

Logan shook off the memory as a woman in a scarlet Armani suit came into view, her Jimmy Choo stilettos clicking sharply on the floor. He stood, trying not to gape.

Petra Landros had aged well. Chestnut curls bounced on her shoulders as she sashayed towards him, the light wool skirt and jacket expertly tailored around voluptuous curves on a well-toned body. Generous, red lips curved in a warm smile, and she clasped his hand.

“Logan. You look amazing. The Navy suits you,” she said, fondly.

“Thank you, Mrs. Landros,” he began.

“Petra, please. You’ll join me for lunch? My chef has prepared an excellent grilled ahi nicoise for us in my suite. I thought it would be more … discreet.”

She led him to a penthouse apartment just one floor above the suite he’d lived in for nearly three years. Two hotel staff were waiting to serve them. Once they were seated, Petra got straight to the point.

“I want you to co-host my Fourth of July Jubilee,” she said. “I started it to focus attention on Neptune and all we have to offer locally, in addition to raise money for a good cause. We have local bands, local chefs and I want you to be the MC.”

Logan cringed. “Trust me, I’m the wrong guy.”

“No, I don’t think so. I know about the skirmish you got into defending your girlfriend’s honor …”

“... She’s not my girlfriend.” The words slipped out automatically.

“Well, she’s agreed to be our headliner.”

Logan blinked, realizing she meant Carrie. Petra Landros was a very shrewd businesswoman.

“Thank you for thinking of me, but I’m not interested. I’ll give you a donation, and I will make sure a Navy PAO will find you a squeaky clean pilot who will do a much better job than me.”

Petra considered him. “You’re nothing like your father, are you? He lived for this kind of publicity.”

“I’ll take it as a compliment.”

“Good. It was. Lynn deserved better.”

He swallowed, pushing baby greens with his fork. “Yeah, she did.”

After lunch, Petra offered to escort him downstairs. They emerged from the elevator, and out of habit he scanned the lobby, immediately zeroing in on a blond woman with brilliant blue eyes, fingering the pendant at her throat.

“Veronica!”

Logan felt sucker-punched.

Piz, looking solid and salt-of-the-earth in his khakis, button-up plaid shirt and tie, jogged across the lobby, waving happily at Veronica.

 _At least he cut his hair_ , Logan thought darkly.

**********

Logan was restless.

It was Saturday night. He was alone on the beach, sitting on cold, damp sand while Veronica was on a date with her ex.

To top it off, Dick was texting him every five minutes from some swanky party for ‘09er investors.

Who needed social media? Dick was a living, breathing Twitter feed Logan couldn’t shut down.

Dick had been right about one thing - Veronica was trouble.

Logan had the physical scars - and bruised heart -  to prove it, but he knew her absence was far worse.

It took them nine years to get past their disastrous relationship and salvage a friendship Logan valued beyond all else. He could get over Veronica, he’d done it often enough, but he wouldn’t let her disappear from his life again.

His phone chirped. 

> Ran into Trouble. She into frat boys? Rich Trident dudes?

Frowning, Logan stared at the cryptic message, a chill spreading up his spine.

_It’s not a date._

Surging to his feet, Logan sprinted across the sand back to the beach house, frantically dialing Dick’s number.

“Where’s Veronica?” he barked.

“Whoa, chill dude. I thought you said she was with Pez ... “

“Dick!” Logan shook off the panic, snapping into his Navy lieutenant mode. “Listen very carefully …”

Later, after paramedics had treated his cuts and bruises and they’d been cleared to leave, Logan insisted on driving an exhausted Veronica home. She curled into the heated leather seat and was asleep by the time he pulled up to her father’s house.

As he carefully scooped her into his arms, light from the streetlamps glinted off the tiny diamonds in her star-shaped earrings.

Conflicting signals, radio silence and trouble following in her wake were par for the course with Veronica - and Logan was hopelessly in love with her.

Situation normal: all fucked up.


End file.
